The gift continues the momentum of the Unstoppable Future campaign – the largest campaign in the history of the LGBTQ+ equality movement – which will invest $180 million to nearly double the organization’s litigation docket capacity, engage and educate 500,000 people annually, and expand legal educational resources to support the most vulnerable populations.
Lambda Legal is proud to announce a generous gift of $1 million from the Leonard-Litz LGBTQ+ Foundation. This impactful contribution will fund Lambda Legal’s efforts to protect and expand the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals and people living with HIV, furthering the Unstoppable Future campaign at a time when the number of anti-LGBTQ+ laws are on the rise across the country.
“All of us at Lambda Legal are incredibly appreciative and indebted to the Leonard-Litz LGBTQ+ Foundation for their generous donation,” said Kevin Jennings, CEO of Lambda Legal. “LGBTQ+ individuals are continually under attack as anti-LGBTQ+ smears, rhetoric, and legislation sweep the nation. It is more important now than ever for us all to band together and fight these heinous efforts head on. This donation will allow us to fund attorneys to defend the rights of our communities, retain current freedoms and defend pro-LGBTQ+ legislation. With more than 1,200 bills swamping 48 state houses since 2022, support from prominent philanthropic figures such as Elliot Leonard and Roger Litz is crucial to the success of the shared mission of protecting the LGBTQ+ community.”
The $1 million unrestricted gift is a key piece of the Unstoppable Future campaign – the largest campaign in the history of the equality movement – which will invest $180 million to nearly double the organization’s litigation docket capacity, engage and educate 500,000 people annually, and expand legal educational resources to support the most vulnerable populations. With new anti-LGBTQ+ legislation sprouting across the nation on a weekly basis, the campaign’s multipronged strategy will defend against anti-LGBTQ+ attacks, win new protections, and prepare for the fight ahead.
“We are extremely excited and honored to be in a position where we can support Lambda Legal,” said Elliot Leonard, co-founder of the Leonard-Litz Foundation. “With anti-HIV and anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and hate speech increasing across the country, we are keenly aware of the imperative to fund pro-LGBTQ+ legal powerhouses to secure and protect the basic rights and dignity of those who need someone in their corner.”
“We are proud to aid in protecting the lives of the LGBTQ+ community, friends and family members with this gift to Lambda Legal,” said Roger Litz, co-founder of the Leonard-Litz Foundation. “We aim to empower organizations like Lambda Legal, so they have the fundamental tools to augment their efforts to advance the interests and well-being of the LGBTQ+ community. The perseverance and fortitude to continue to fight despite increased attacks and hate is why we know for certain that Lambda Legal is a worthy cause.”
“Protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ people is the decent, moral, and right thing to do,” said Colin Hosten, Executive Director of the Leonard-Litz Foundation. “Organizations with power must go to battle for the leaders of tomorrow in order to set a precedent for how to treat others, giving them the space to be their authentic selves.”
The Leonard-Litz LGBTQ+ Foundation’s mission is to help LGBTQ+ people fulfill their potential by advancing the interests and well-being of the LGBTQ+ community through advocacy, programs, and services. The foundation supports partner organizations that are improving the lives of the LGBTQ+ community through life-affirming services, especially those serving communities of color, and transgender or gender-nonconforming people.
Lambda Legal has been at the forefront of the fight for LGBTQ+ rights for more than 50 years as a national legal nonprofit organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV. Lambda Legal’s lawyers have won precedent-setting civil rights cases on everything from marriage equality to gender identity to health care discrimination. Through education, advocacy, and legal action, Lambda Legal strives to protect and advance the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, advocating for a society that embraces diversity and inclusivity.